Smith: Ex-Angel Guerrero still hoping for comeback

Former Angels slugger Vladimir Guerrero poses for a photo with Daron Kevorkian, 8, and Sophene Kevorkian, 10, during an autograph session at The OC Dugout in Anaheim on June 16. Guerrero averaged 29 home runs and 109 RBI in his six seasons (2004-09) in Anaheim. He was the 2004 AL MVP and helped the Angels to three AL West division crowns (2007-09). <strong>Click on the photo for a slide show of the event.</strong>MARCIA C. SMITH, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

ANAHEIM – The cherry red Range Rover with custom chrome rims finally pulled up and parked in front of The OC Dugout on Saturday morning. From its back doors, two Angels sluggers — one current and one former — unfolded their large bodies.

Angels designated hitter and first baseman Kendrys Morales and former Angels All-Star and 2004 AL MVP Vladmir Guerrero arrived 45 minutes late for their autograph session at this Hobby City sports card and collectibles shop.

About 200 people, many in Angels jerseys, had been in line for nearly three hours since 9 a.m. They applauded and cheered as each player made his way slowly — and unapologetically — into the store.

Click on the photo for a slide show of the event.

The love for the Guerrero, in black T-shirt, jeans and the familiar dreadlocks, still lingers in Anaheim, where he had his best seasons.

"We haven't seen him (Guerrero) in three years," said Angels fan Chris Martinez, 31, of Oxnard, who showed up at 7 a.m. to be first in line and pay $100 for each Guerrero autograph and $40 for each Morales signature on two bats and two mini helmets.

"I'm surprised he (Guerrero) is here right now and not with a team."

Guerrero, 37, who was paid for this 90-minute autograph signing, is killing time until he gets his next baseball job. He said he believes that he has more baseball left to play.

The designated hitter was granted his release on Tuesday by the Toronto Blue Jays when he exercised his opt-out clause in his minor league deal that allowed him to become a free agent if he hadn't been called up from Triple-A Las Vegas by a certain date.

He had gone 4 for 5 with a triple and two RBIs on Monday night against the Tucson Padres and reportedly told 51s manager Marty Brown that it was going to his last day with club.

Guerrero, the nine-time All-Star and eight-time Silver Slugger, is a career.318 hitter with 449 home runs and 1,496 RBIs in his 16 seasons with Montreal (1996-2003), the Angels (2004-2009), Texas (2010) and Baltimore (2011).

In May, he signed a $1.3 million prorated contract with the Blue Jays that paid off only if he made the big leagues. He was reportedly making about $10,000 a month in the minors.

But that's not where Guerrero wants to go down swinging. And the Blue Jays, with able outfielders and Edwin Encarnacion at DH with 17 home runs and 44 RBIs, apparently had no need to promote the 6-foot-3, 235-pound Dominican Guerrero, who had batted .303 (10 for 33) in eight Pacific Coast League games, with two doubles, a triple, four RBIs and a stolen base.

"I was with Toronto and I needed to go up but I just didn't get called up," he said in Spanish on Saturday. "So I came home (to Anaheim)."

Guerrero said that he is still intent on making a major league comeback.

Former Angels slugger Vladimir Guerrero poses for a photo with Daron Kevorkian, 8, and Sophene Kevorkian, 10, during an autograph session at The OC Dugout in Anaheim on June 16. Guerrero averaged 29 home runs and 109 RBI in his six seasons (2004-09) in Anaheim. He was the 2004 AL MVP and helped the Angels to three AL West division crowns (2007-09). Click on the photo for a slide show of the event.MARCIA C. SMITH, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
While waiting for Angel Kendrys Morales and former Angel Vladimir Guerrero to arrive at an autograph session at The OC Dugout in Anaheim on Saturday, June 16, 2012, Angels fans browse the store's collection of photos of both sluggers. MARCIA C. SMITH, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Chris Martinez, 31, of Oxnard, and Andrew Barton of Buena Park arrive around 7 a.m. to be in the front of the line to pay to get autographs from Angels slugger Kendrys Morales and former Angels and 2004 AL MVP Vladimir Guerrero at an autograph session at The OC Dugout in Anaheim on Saturday, June 16, 2012. The session was scheduled to begin at 10:30 a.m. The players didn't arrive until 11:15, and Martinez finally got his first autograph at 11:45 a.m. MARCIA C. SMITH, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Around 11:15 a.m., 45 minutes after their paid autograph session was scheduled to begin, Angels slugger Kendrys Morales and former Angels slugger Vladimir Guerrero arrive as passengers in a Range Rover at The OC Dugout in Anaheim on Saturday, June 16, 2012. MARCIA C. SMITH, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Autograph seekers applaud, cheer and take photographs at Angels slugger Kendrys Morales arrives at an autograph session at The OC Dugout in Anaheim on Saturday, June 16, 2012. MARCIA C. SMITH, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
More than 200 fans waited more than three hours in line to see Angels slugger Kendrys Morales and former Angels slugger Vladimir Guerrero (pictured) at an autograph session at The OC Dugout in Anaheim on Saturday, June 16, 2012. MARCIA C. SMITH, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Former Angels slugger Vladimir Guerrero makes his way through signing memorabilia an autograph session at The OC Dugout in Anaheim on Saturday, June 16, 2012. He was released by the Toronto Blue Jays a few days earlier after not getting called up from the minors. A free agent, he hope to land with a team that could use him in the majors. MARCIA C. SMITH, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
The OC Dugout co-owner Lance Kirkland hands former Angels slugger Vladimir Guerrero a pair of spikes to sign at an autograph session at The OC Dugout in Anaheim on Saturday, June 16, 2012. MARCIA C. SMITH, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Angels designated hitter and first baseman Kendrys Morales, playing his first season after his 2010 ankle injury, gets busy signing baseball cards at an autograph session at The OC Dugout in Anaheim on Saturday, June 16, 2012. This is Morales' first signing at The OC Dugout. The price for his autograph ranged from $30 for small items to $40 for large items. MARCIA C. SMITH, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Former Angels slugger Vladimir Guerrero finds a picture of his 2009 Angels teammate Kendrys Morales among the photos he is asked to sign at an autograph session at The OC Dugout in Anaheim on Saturday, June 16, 2012. "Who's this ugly guy?" he says, joking in Spanish, to Morales who was signing autographs at a nearby table. MARCIA C. SMITH, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Members of the 2011 Little League World Champion team from Ocean View (Huntington Beach) also took part in the autograph session at The OC Dugout in Anaheim on Saturday, June 16, 2012. Before they began signing, players like Ryo Takada got a few autographs from Angels slugger Kendrys Morales. MARCIA C. SMITH, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Chris Epting, the author of "Baseball in Orange County," gets a signature from Vladimir Guerrero, the former Angels who won the 2004 AL MVP and helped the Angels to AL West division titles in 2007, 2008 and 2009. MARCIA C. SMITH, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Ryo Takada, a member of the 2011 Little League World Series champion Ocean View (Huntington Beach), poses with Angels slugger Kendrys Morales at an autograph session at The OC Dugout in Anaheim on Saturday, June 16, 2012. MARCIA C. SMITH, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
While signing a baseball card from his past season as a member of the Baltimore Orioles, former Angels slugger Vladimir Guerrero listens to a suggestion from youngster Noah Guerrero, "Sign 'Michael Jordan!" Guerrero played 145 games for the Orioles in .290 with 13 homer and 63 RBI. Guerrero, 37, released on June 12, 2012, by Toronto, hopes to return to the majors. MARCIA C. SMITH, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Players from Ocean View (Huntington Beach), the 2011 Little League World Series champions, bring baseballs, photos and cards from Angels slugger Kendrys Morales to sign at an autograph session at The OC Dugout in Anaheim on Saturday, June 16, 2012. MARCIA C. SMITH, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Although he left the Angels in 2009 for Texas in 2010 and Baltimore in 2011, nine-time All-Star Vladimir Guerrero still has his fans. "He's my absolute favorite player of all time," says Maria Sotelo at an autograph session at The OC Dugout in Anaheim on Saturday, June 16, 2012. MARCIA C. SMITH, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Armenio Kevorkian (center) and his son, Daron, 8, of Los Angels, present former Angels All-Star Vladimir Guerrero with a photo to sign at an autograph session at The OC Dugout in Anaheim on Saturday, June 16, 2012. MARCIA C. SMITH, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Former Angels slugger Vladimir Guerrero signs a mini Angels bat during an autograph session at The OC Dugout in Anaheim on June 16. MARCIA C. SMITH, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Former Angels slugger Vladimir Guerrero signs a photo in front of Noah Guerrero at an autograph session at The OC Dugout in Anaheim on Saturday, June 16, 2012. MARCIA C. SMITH, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Angels fans Matt and Sonia Sebastiano, with their son, J.B., are about 100 deep in the line to get autographs from Kendrys Morales and Vladimir Guerrero at an autograph session at The OC Dugout in Anaheim on Saturday, June 16, 2012. Morales autographs started at $30 a piece, while Guerrero's began at $70 for small items. MARCIA C. SMITH, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Nine-time All-Star Vladimir Guerrero believes that he's still able to make a comeback in the major leagues. A free agent after being released by Toronto on June 12, 2012, the 37-year-old former AL MVP (2004, Angels) is working out and staying in shape in the batting cage while awaiting his next offer. He went to work off the field at an autograph session at The OC Dugout in Anaheim on Saturday, June 16, 2012. MARCIA C. SMITH, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
About 50 people were in line around 9 a.m., 90 minutes before the Kendrys Morales-Vladimir Guerrero autograph session was to begin at The OC Dugout in Anaheim on Saturday, June 16, 2012. The line grew to more than 150 by the 10:30 a.m. scheduled start. It reached around 200 people by 11:30 a.m., 15 minutes after the players arrived. MARCIA C. SMITH, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Chris Martinez, 31, of Oxnard, camped out in front of The OC Dugout in Anaheim at 7 a.m. and was the first paying customer in line to get autographs from former Angel Vladimir Guerrero and current Angels slugger Kendrys Morales. Martinez paid $100 and $70 to get two Guerrero signatures and $40 and $30 for a pair of Morales autographs on two bats and two mini batting helmets. "It's expensive but you don't really get a chance to get autographs from Guerrero since he left (the Angels in 2009)," he says. MARCIA C. SMITH, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

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